Howard: What we preach

"Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." (Luke 24:46-47)

Throughout the New Testament, the stress is laid on Gospel preaching. It is the great battering ram that shakes the gates of Hell. "It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe" (1 Corinthians 1:21).

Today rituals, ceremonies, human learning and literature, have taken away from the preaching of the Gospel, but God's purpose and way has never changed. Until we are given different instructions, "repentance and remission of sins" are to "be preached in his name among all nations."

We are to preach "Repentance and remission of sins" as the gift of God. Christ, was exalted, with His Father's right hand, to be a Prince and a Savior, "to give repentance" and "forgiveness of sins." When you find a sinner turning from his sin to Christ, know that the power to do it came from God. It is a gift of Grace.

It is not in our heart to repent. We first learn what sin is. We learn something about what God requires of us. We learn that Christ alone, through His shed blood alone can do for us what must be done. We learn that it was our sin that nailed Christ to that cross. We come to Christ, and coming to Christ is a turning from sin; and that is repentance.

If any person's heart is turned away from sin, if he prostrates himself in the dust before God because of his offenses, if he looks with true sorrow for sin to Christ on the cross, crying, "Lord, remember me," "Lord, save me," "God be merciful to me a sinner," it is not a question whether forgiveness may or may not be granted to him, but it is a fact that he is already forgiven.

The believing sinner turns his weeping eyes to Christ on the cross - gazes with both sorrow and joy on the blood that flowed from His wounds - puts all his hope in God's appointed propitiation, "the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world."

Then we sing with David, "Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits who forgiveth all thine iniquities" (Psalm 103:1-3).

"Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered" (Psalm 32:1). This blessing of God never changes. He never goes back on His promise, and the saved never goes away from Christ.

To trust in the Lord Jesus Christ is to be saved today, tomorrow, next week, and forever. "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand"(John 10:27-28).

This is why we preach "repentance and remission of sins?in his name among all nations."

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Howard: What we preach

'Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations,